Legendary San Diego rock band, which reunited earlier this year, confirms late August racetrack concert near the sea

Area rock fans chomping at the bit for a concert by the recently reunited Rocket From The Crypt can stop their chomping. The legendary San Diego band will perform Aug. 30 as part of this year's Del Mar Racetrack concert series, which begins tomorrow, July 19, with The B-52's. (Ticket information and the full concert schedule appears at the conclusion of this article.)

Rocket's show here next month follows an April tour of Europe and a June show at the Queen Mary by the band, whose European jaunt marked the group's first formal appearance since 2005. (In between came a surprise March 31 warm-up gig at Bar Pink, the North Park nightclub co-owned by Rocket leader John Reis, and a 90-second performance last fall on the children's TV show, "Yo Gabba Gabba!")

Rocket from The Cryp on "Yo Gabba Gabba!"

Reis discussed Rocket's reunion at length in a February U-T San Diego interview, saying:

"It feels like when we stopped playing (in 2005), it felt like the right thing to do. I'm just speaking personally. I felt like: 'This totally makes sense; nothing can last forever.' There was a point where we were kind of losing the passion. Not to say we didn't like each other, but there was a fierce amount of commitment that I didn't want to give anymore. And going (further) knowing that I felt that way just didn't get me very excited about the future (of the band).

"Then, after five years, I still felt very content not to do (Rocket) anymore. I was playing with other bands, so I never felt like this was something we’d do. And seeing, while playing with The Night Marchers, how commonplace it was for bands to get back and reform, it made me more cynical and it didn't seem like anything we'd ever do (with Rocket). so, it seemed like that was the end of it.

"We did 'Yo Gabba Gabba!' (last fall) for fun; I was going to be there anyhow (in his recurring role) and those guys (at the show) are massive fans of the band, so reforming for a kids show seemed like a completely appropriate thing to do, especially since some of us (in Rocket) have kids and watch the show. Then we started discussing things and we put it out there (to concert promoters) that everyone in the band wants to do it (a reunion tour).

"For me, it was like, for all these years we were playing (in Rocket before), we really wanted people to like us. We did everything on our terms and wanted people to connect, and listen to our music and like it. Now, because of this kids show, people started asking us to play concerts and it was almost like: 'Well, you wanted to have people like you, and now they're asking you to play and you're saying no?' So, it was like: 'We should do this'."

Rocket will perform Aug. 30 at the Del Mar Racetrack's Seaside Stage, which is located just beyond the west end of the racetrack's Grandstand. As in previous years, admission to the concerts is open to all ages, although attendees under 17 must be accompanied by a parent of legal guardian.